Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-10-06
AT THOMASTON,
A Journal Man Visits the Maine State
Prison.



How the Law Increasing the Diversity of
Manufactures Works-Phasesaof Prison
Life that Strike the Outside Eye.
Especial correspondence of the Journal
.THoNAsroN. Oct. 5.
Your correspondents first impression of a
prison was probably very much like that of
many others of the Journals readers-a
place of sadness, misery and degradation
without one softening touch.
The warden received him pleasantly as he
entered the Office and directed deputy to
conduct him through the prison.
"What is the general effect of visitors upon
the prissners?' asked the journal man.
"Well, not much of any. We are troubled
most-especially in the excursions-by
having them point to some psrticu-
lar one saying in loud whisper "there-
over there" That is terrible. But
we are putting stop to it and
don't have so much of it now" The
solidity and security OF the structure i'm
piSeoSu tuS eCIIbS uOSt- ENSIN
window is grated, and it is seldom that
prisoner can step where the eye of an srmed
guard cannot follow. The cells are con-
srructed in what seemed to be solid
psrallelogram of granite, in three tiers, and
having around it an ample corridor. AT the
time there were number OF prisoners at work
there making repairs for the winter.
''The air in those upper cells is rather
bad, said the deputy, ''but We are going to
remedy it what we can by fixing the windows
so that they can be dropped an inch or two"-
motioning toward the prisoners at work.
Where there is so much stone work aren't
the cells likely to get damp aud cold?"
"Well, they would if we didn't keep fire
all the time. There are few days even in the
SIMMER when we don't have fire"
care all the prisoners treated alike?"
"Yes, irrespective of their offence; they
are all kept in these cells here"
Your correspondent was next conducted
into the kitchen where beans for the next
day were soaking by the tubfull and fresh
white bread was piled IN tiers.
.'You see they live as well as anv one, said
the deputy, breaking off a piece from one of
the loaves
And, indeed, the food both looked and
tasted as good as any which could be procured
at firsclass bakery.
The next points of inspection were the
workshops.
WHAT do you think of this new law re-
fao IN, tba
''We don't like it at all. 1t will be very
bad for us. Here we have seventy men at
work upon vehicles. That law will cut US
down to about thirty. Now in this mannfa
ture there are four distiGct trades-that of
the machinist the carpenter, the painter and
the leather worker. But when we try to
divide up thirty men in these four depart
ments there will be hardly enough to make
the business pay. Besides that, when a man
has learned one of these trades he is qualified
to go to work as soon as he is free. We are
going to try the manufacture of brooms, but
there is no demand for wOrkmen IN that
trade, and as soon they are out Of here
they are out of work. That is going to be
bad tor them. We have thought some of
making furniture but have not fully decided
yet"
"Do you have much sickness here?"
when the men first come here they are more
or less broken down by the course of their
past lives. But before they have been here
long the regularity, the early hours, and the
good food combine to make them better both
in health and morals. Few men leave here
at the end of five years without being much
better physically, mentally and morally for
their stay"
do you have much trouble with the prisss
oners? Most of their faces appear pleasant
and intelligent"
VERY little indeed As a whole they are
very pleasant set of men. They are not here
long before their old natures begin to wear
away, and they become quiet, orderly, and
and Industrious. Here is Graves, as good a
workman as we have-a genius in his way
he has only been here a comparatively short
time, but can already stitch dasher as neat
| ly as any of them"
"What do you think the real reason Was
for the complaint of the carriage makers
against the manufacture of them here?"
81 am inclined to attribute it to the quality
| of our work. We undersell no one-in fact
we are higher if anything-but we make too
! good an article"
''Now," said your correspondent, ,as he stood
once more on the prison threshold. "what is
the real curse of prison life? Here are these
men, kept better, clothed better, fed better
and worked easier than the average workman,
and yet their condition is terribly sad"
at Is just here" said the deputy, it ia the
loss of liberty. That is all. We prize lber-
ty above all earthly things. There is always
on their face that patient, enduring, look
which dumb driven cattle always have, and
it never wears away. The loss of liberty
and the solitude-for they have little oppor
IL ,s g.
to endure"
Maine Baptists.
BANGOR, Oct 5.
The evening session of the Maine Baptis